Flexible online pre-ordering system for media

ABSTRACT

The disclosed electronic commerce cloud-based media retailing systems and methods enable customers to execute a purchase intention of a digital product before that product is officially released for distribution. The ecommerce system comprises a digital entitlement engine and is particularly suited to pre-sell entitlements to digital products such as, but not limited to, video games, computer software, movies, and other entertainment media.

CROSS REFERENCE

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/464,608, entitled “Flexible Online Pre-OrderingSystem for Media” and filed on Mar. 21, 2017, which relies on, forpriority, U.S. Patent Provisional Application No. 62/462,513, of thesame title and filed on Feb. 23, 2017, both of which are hereinincorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD

The present specification discloses systems and methods for onlinecommerce. More specifically, the present specification disclosesflexible pre-ordering systems that enable users to pre-order mediaproducts, such as video games, before their commercial release whilestill permitting online retailers to modify any related productidentification codes, product type, product mix, and other attributes ofthe purchased media prior to release.

BACKGROUND

Media products, such as video games, music, movies, TV shows, ande-books are often available for purchase even before they are madeavailable for actual release and distribution. The process ofpre-ordering enables customers to reserve a copy of a popular product,so that it is manufactured and made available to them when the productis subsequently released, and further enables manufacturers to gaugedemand for a product and therefore optimize its initial development andproduction.

As the software services and the gaming industries grow, several onlinemarketplaces offer a variety of these services and gaming experiences.Pre-orders can be placed by customers for several of these digitalproducts a few days, weeks, or months prior to their release. While thecustomers placing pre-orders for a product may be entitled to certainbenefits in the form of additional features, access to limited editions,or other privileges and incentives, existing ordering systems are unableto account for changes to the pre-ordered product by the retailer ormanufacturer or changes in the purchasing decisions by consumers. Also,manufacturers of these products often do not have the ability to retain,or have limited access to, first-party data. Additionally, conventionalonline marketplaces do not allow the creation of bundles of productsthat may be from different providers, against a single SKU, and,subsequently, a modification of that SKU after a product has beenpurchased by a user. An SKU, or stock keeping unit, is a product and/orservice identification code for each product, which enables tracking theinventory for that product and/or service. The product can be a physicalproduct or an intangible product such as, but not limited to, softwareor a service. As a result of the fixed SKUs, further changes to it aredisallowed, even while the product and/or service evolves, as is commonfor a pre-ordered product.

Typically, the online marketplaces comprise either fully verticallyintegrated companies or front-end only companies. Vertically integratedcompanies, such as Amazon®, have customer facing front-end graphicaluser interfaces, which accept on-line orders and are verticallyintegrated with a logistics delivery back-end. Integrated marketplacesare very capital intensive infrastructures that are expensive tomaintain and require large sale volumes to make profitable. Front-endonly companies comprise media publishers who may present a customerfacing front end graphical user interfaces through which their productsare sold but rely on third party companies to actually fulfill any orderreceived. In such cases, the entire purchasing infrastructure isseparate from, and not integrated with, third party logistics,distribution, and delivery companies.

While cheaper to maintain, a front-end only marketplace results in apublisher having very little flexibility in handling pre-orders. Becausethey rely on third parties to stock and fulfill product orders, suchpublishers must define all product options upfront, communicate thoseoptions to the third party logistics provider, and, if the publisherwants to change those options, as the product evolves before actualrelease, it needs to issue a new SKU for a new or evolved product. Thisrestricts publishers from being able to improve products after preordersbegin. This also creates significant friction for consumers who wish toexhibit an interest in obtaining a media product in the future but donot necessarily know exactly what platform, such as which gamingplatform or operating system, or package type, such as a bundled packagewith other titles or a package including extra content, to commit to inthe present. As a result, while media publishers would like to booksales in the present for a product that will be released in the future,consumers often hesitate to make such purchases because they are unclearon what additional options they should select, in addition to the basicmedia product itself, or because they fear that whatever options theyare forced to choose, in addition to the basic media product itself,will not be desirable when the media product is actually released. Forexample, the consumer may have an Xbox gaming system when the pre-orderis made available but may be considering moving to a Playstation gamingsystem in the future. If the customer chooses wrong, he will have to gothrough a burdensome return and/or re-ordering process since there is noflexibility on how to change or modify the order.

Accordingly, there is a need for a flexible marketplace for digitalproducts that provides greater flexibility to customers, retailers andmanufacturers within the currently available processes for placingpre-orders and fulfilling them in the stated time. There is also a needfor a defined process and associated set of interfaces that enablecustomers to pre-order products, allow retailers make modifications tothose pre-ordered products, and permit customers to flexibly changepurchase decisions.

SUMMARY

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described andillustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods, which aremeant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope.

In some embodiments, the present specification discloses a pre-orderingelectronic commerce transaction system comprising at least one serverhaving at least one processor and a plurality of programmaticinstructions stored in a non-transient memory wherein, when saidplurality of programmatic instructions are executed by the at least oneprocessor, said programmatic instructions: generate data representativeof one or more first graphical user interfaces, wherein said one or morefirst graphical user interfaces comprise an option to purchase a mediaproduct and do not include a requirement to select additional mediaproduct attributes; concurrently transmit said data to a first pluralityof client devices such that each of said first plurality of clientdevices receives data representative of said one or more first graphicaluser interfaces and generates said one or more first graphical userinterfaces; receive data representative of users' selection to purchasesaid media product; store data representative of users' selection topurchase said media product in a non-transient memory; within apredefined period of time before a release date for said media product,generate data representative of one or more second graphical userinterfaces based on said data representative of a user's selection topurchase said media product, wherein said one or more second graphicaluser interfaces comprise a request to select said additional mediaproduct attributes; concurrently transmit said data to a secondplurality of client devices such that each of said second plurality ofclient devices receives data representative of said one or more secondgraphical user interfaces and generates said one or more secondgraphical user interfaces; receive data representative of users'selection of said additional media product attributes; and store datarepresentative of users' selection to said additional media productattributes in a non-transient memory.

Optionally, for both of the transmissions to the first and secondplurality of client devices, which may or may not have client devices incommon, the server is configured to present the graphical userinterfaces, described herein, to over at least 50 client devicesconcurrently and/or host at least 10 transactions per secondconcurrently. The pre-ordering electronic commerce transaction system ispreferably configured to concurrently host at least 50 client devices,and more preferably 50 to 750,000 client devices or any incrementtherein, such that each of said at least 50 client devices are permittedto concurrently visit one or more first graphical user interfaces or oneor more second graphical user interfaces. In another embodiment, thepre-ordering electronic commerce transaction system is configured toconcurrently host at least 10 transactions per second, preferably 100transactions/per second, with the first or second plurality of clientdevices.

Optionally, the media product in the electronic commerce transactionsystem is a video game and the additional media product attributescomprise at least one of a gaming platform and a player mode.Optionally, the media product is a movie and the additional mediaproduct attributes comprise a format of the movie.

Optionally, the second graphical user interface further comprises arequest to confirm a user's prior selection to purchase the mediaproduct.

The predefined period of time before the release date for said mediaproduct may be up to twelve months.

In one embodiment, the electronic commerce transaction system furthercomprises programmatic instructions executed by the at least oneprocessor to, prior to said predefined period of time, generate datarepresentative of one or more payment transaction graphical userinterfaces, wherein said one or more payment transaction graphical userinterfaces comprises a request to provide financial payment data.

Optionally, the concurrent transmission of the data representative ofthe one or more first graphical user interfaces may be programmed tooccur more than one day before the predefined period of time.Optionally, the concurrent transmission of said data representative ofsaid one or more first graphical user interfaces may be programmed tooccur more than one week before the predefined period of time.

In one embodiment, the electronic commerce transaction system furthercomprises programmatic instructions executed by the at least oneprocessor to, prior to said predefined period of time, receive datarepresentative of users' modified selection to purchase said mediaproduct and store data representative of users' modified selection topurchase said media product in a non-transient memory.

Optionally, the one or more first graphical user interfaces consist ofone or more images of the media product, an option to purchase saidmedia product, and payment transaction graphical user interfacescomprising a request to provide financial payment data. Optionally, themedia product is a video game and the one or more first graphical userinterfaces comprise one or more images of the video game and an optionto purchase said video game and do not comprise a requirement to selecta gaming platform for said video game.

Optionally, the one or more second graphical user interfaces comprisethe requirement to select the gaming platform for the video game,wherein the one or more second graphical user interfaces are transmittedonly after a second period of time after the one or more first graphicaluser interfaces are transmitted, and wherein the second period of timeis at least three days.

In some embodiments, the present specification is directed toward amethod of pre-ordering a media product using an electronic commercetransaction system comprising at least one server having at least oneprocessor and a plurality of programmatic instructions stored in anon-transient memory, said method comprising: generating datarepresentative of one or more first graphical user interfaces, whereinsaid one or more first graphical user interfaces comprise an option topurchase a media product and do not include a requirement to selectadditional media product attributes; concurrently transmitting said datato a plurality of client devices such that each of said client devicesreceives data representative of said one or more first graphical userinterfaces and generates said one or more first graphical userinterfaces; receiving data representative of users' selection topurchase said media product; storing data representative of users'selection to purchase said media product in a non-transient memory;within a predefined period of time before a release date for said mediaproduct, generating data representative of one or more second graphicaluser interfaces based on said data representative of a user's selectionto purchase said media product, wherein said one or more secondgraphical user interfaces comprise a request to select said additionalmedia product attributes; concurrently transmitting said data to aplurality of client devices such that each of said client devicesreceives data representative of said one or more second graphical userinterfaces and generates said one or more second graphical userinterfaces; receiving data representative of users' selection of saidadditional media product attributes; and storing data representative ofusers' selection to said additional media product attributes in anon-transient memory.

Optionally, the media product is a video game and said additional mediaproduct attributes comprise at least one of a gaming platform and aplayer mode. Optionally, the media product is a movie and saidadditional media product attributes comprise a format of the movie.

Optionally, the second graphical user interface further comprises arequest to confirm a user's prior selection to purchase the mediaproduct.

The predefined period of time before the release date for said mediaproduct may be up to twelve months.

In one embodiment, the method of pre-ordering a media product using anelectronic commerce transaction system further comprises, prior to thepredefined period of time, generating data representative of one or morepayment transaction graphical user interfaces, wherein the one or morepayment transaction graphical user interfaces comprise a request toprovide financial payment data.

Optionally, the concurrent transmission of the data representative ofthe one or more first graphical user interfaces may be programmed tooccur more than one day before said predefined period of time.

Optionally, the media product is a video game and the one or more firstgraphical user interfaces comprise one or more images of the video gameand an option to purchase said video game and do not comprise arequirement to select a gaming platform for said video game.

Optionally, the one or more second graphical user interfaces comprisethe requirement to select said gaming platform for said video game,wherein the one or more second graphical user interfaces are transmittedonly after a second period of time after the one or more first graphicaluser interfaces are transmitted, and wherein the second period of timeis at least three days.

The aforementioned and other embodiments of the present invention shallbe described in greater depth in the drawings and detailed descriptionprovided below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will beappreciated, as they become better understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a server architecture in accordance with embodimentsof the present specification;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating e-commerce processes in accordanceto embodiments of the present specification;

FIG. 3A shows an exemplary interface displayed to enable a buyer topre-order a product;

FIG. 3B shows another exemplary interface displayed to enable the buyerto pre-order the product along with a set of example attributes tochoose from;

FIG. 3C shows a first exemplary interface displayed (at a time proximatethe product release date) to enable the buyer to confirm purchase of theproduct along with a set of attributes; and,

FIG. 3D shows a second exemplary interface displayed (at a timeproximate the product release date) to enable the buyer to confirmpurchase of the product along with a set of attributes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The presently disclosed electronic commerce cloud-based media retailingsystem enables customers to execute a purchase intention of a digitalproduct before that product is officially released for distribution.Buyers are able to purchase digital products that are independent ofcorresponding stock keeping units (SKUs), which may be assigned later orwhich may be assigned but still evolving during the development of thedigital product. Additionally, the buyers are able to purchase thedigital media products independent of a specific gaming or playbackplatform, such as Playstation® or Xbox®, that will be eventuallyrequired for its execution. In embodiments, the method is implementedthrough a Graphical User Interface (GUI) provided to buyers throughcomputing systems such as a laptop, mobile phone, desktop, tabletcomputer, or gaming console, comprising a processor in datacommunication with a server.

The present specification is directed towards multiple embodiments. Thefollowing disclosure is provided in order to enable a person havingordinary skill in the art to practice the invention. Language used inthis specification should not be interpreted as a general disavowal ofany one specific embodiment or used to limit the claims beyond themeaning of the terms used therein. The general principles defined hereinmay be applied to other embodiments and applications without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. Also, the terminology andphraseology used is for the purpose of describing exemplary embodimentsand should not be considered limiting. Thus, the present invention is tobe accorded the widest scope encompassing numerous alternatives,modifications and equivalents consistent with the principles andfeatures disclosed. For purpose of clarity, details relating totechnical material that is known in the technical fields related to theinvention have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarilyobscure the present invention. In the description and claims of theapplication, each of the words “comprise” “include” and “have”, andforms thereof, are not necessarily limited to members in a list withwhich the words may be associated.

It should be noted herein that any feature or component described inassociation with a specific embodiment may be used and implemented withany other embodiment unless clearly indicated otherwise.

FIG. 1 illustrates an e-commerce architecture 100 in accordance withsome embodiments of the present specification. As shown in FIG. 1, thearchitecture 100 comprises a digital or online retail system 120 havinga front-end GUI (Graphical User Interface) integrated into a website ormobile application (app) 105 hosted using a server and a databasemanagement system (DBMS) implemented on at least one server 110. Invarious embodiments of the digital retail system 120, and in accordancewith aspects of the present specification, the front-end GUI or website105 is in data communication with a digital entitlements (DE) engine 115which is software implemented on at least one server. It should beappreciated that the DE engine 115, in some embodiments, may beimplemented on the server 110 itself instead of being implemented on aseparate standalone server, or that implementations of the DE engine,DBMS, and website or mobile application may be distributed acrossmultiple servers in a “cloud” configuration.

The website or mobile app 105 is accessible to a plurality of buyers,such as buyer 130, via network 125 which is a wired, wireless, privateor public network. The digital retail system 120 is enabled forelectronic commerce (e-commerce) and is in data communication, vianetwork 125, with a payment processing system or payment gateway 135 anda customer relationship management (CRM) system 140. The digital retailsystem 120 is in data communication, via network 125, with a pluralityof back-end entities 145 (145 a through 145 c, for example) such as, butnot limited to, logistics companies, vendors, sellers and/ormanufacturers of products and services, who receive data on, and aretasked with delivering, the purchased products.

As known to persons of ordinary skill in the art, the payment processingsystem or gateway 135 is a merchant service provided by an e-commerceapplication service provider that authorizes credit card or directpayments processing for e-businesses, online retailers or traditionalbrick and mortar. The payment gateway may be provided by a bank to itscustomers, but can be provided by a specialised financial serviceprovider as a separate service. The payment gateway facilitates apayment transaction by the transfer of information between a paymentportal (such as the website 105) and a front end processor or acquiringbank.

The customer relationship management (CRM) system 140, as known topersons of ordinary skill in the art, facilitates a company'sinteraction with current and potential future customers for operationalactivities such as customer support, sales and marketing. The CRMsystems compile data from a range of different communication channels,including a company's website, telephone, email, live chat, marketingmaterials and social media in order for businesses to learn more abouttheir target audiences and how to best cater to their needs. Forexample, CRM tools with marketing automation capabilities automaterepeated tasks, such as, sending out automated marketing emails atcertain time to customers, or posting marketing information on socialmedia. The goal with marketing automation is to turn a sales lead into afull customer. Also, through customer service automation, customers aresupported through multiple channels such as phone, email, knowledgebases, ticketing portals, and FAQs to facilitate modifications, such asreturn, cancellation or exchange of products and/or services boughtonline.

The presently disclosed embodiments are uniquely suited to onlinecommerce architectures where the customer-facing retailing system 120 isowned and controlled by one business entity (“Retailer Entity”) and theback-end logistics and fulfilment system 145 is owned and controlled bya different business entity (“Fulfilment Entity”). In such situations,pre-ordering transactions are plagued by rigidities arising from thediscontinuity around the Retailing Entity's desire to offer productsand/or services that are not yet commercially available and subject tochange and the Fulfilment Entities desire to immediately allocateinventory when a purchase order is received. More specifically, when thebuyer 130 purchases a product, the purchase order is sent out to one ofthe entities 145, such as a back-end logistics company, to beimmediately fulfilled. If the buyer wants something different, sheengages in a conventional return process (via the CRM system 140, forexample) to return or exchange the product (or buy additionalcomponents). However, in the context of pre-orders where no product has,or can, be delivered, prior art e-commerce scenarios are cumbersome inhandling when the buyer wishes to change an order before any fulfilmentof the order. On one hand, the buyer's expectation is that she shouldseamlessly be able to change her order (since the buyer has not actuallyreceived the order yet, so she should be able to change it). On theother hand, when the buyer buys a product, it enters into the back-endfulfilment entities 145 which then allocate the product from inventoryand if a change is required, it's hard to effectuate because the producthas been “bought” and therefore should be subject to a conventionalreturn process. Prior art e-commerce scenarios are also not enabled tohandle situations where the product itself changes, thereby resulting ina different associated SKU, after the purchase but before the order isfulfilled.

The systems and methods of the present specification are directedtowards overcoming the rigidities and short-comings in prior arte-commerce scenarios. The e-commerce architecture 100 of FIG. 1implements methods and systems to enable the pre-selling of productsand/or services by the Retailer Entity before these are actuallycommercially available for distribution or delivery to customers. Thee-commerce architecture 100 of FIG. 1 is particularly enabled topre-sell entitlements to digital products such as, but not limited to,video games, computer software, movies, and other entertainment media.It should be appreciated that these digital products are available forpurchase or pre-order while still not being commercially available foractual distribution to a customer.

Referring now to FIG. 1, in accordance with aspects of the presentspecification, the DE engine 115 enables the digital retail system 120to offer a digital product for pre-ordering from a product pre-orderdate, register a buyer's (such as the buyer 130) purchase or entitlementto the digital product during a product pre-order window, allow thebuyer 130 to seamlessly modify or change her order during the productpre-order window and lock-in the buyer's order at or at a certain dateprior to a product release date.

The product pre-order date is the date when a Retailer Entity offers theproduct, such as a video game, movie, television show, series, or otherentertainment media, for purchase, but not for actual release anddistribution to a buyer. The product release date is the date when aproduct becomes available for actual distribution to a buyer such thatthe customer can receive and use the product. The product pre-order datemay be any date in advance of the product release date. For example, theproduct pre-order date may be a day to eighteen months in advance of theproduct release date or any increment therein. The product pre-orderwindow is the time frame during which the buyer can pre-order a product,register her entitlement to the product, and/or modify or change herorder or entitlement prior to the product release date. The productpre-order window may start from the product pre-order date and end onthe product release date or may start from the product pre-order dateand end a predefined period prior to the product release date. Invarious embodiments, the predefined period may range from an hour to amonth, and any time increment therein.

In some embodiments, the buyer 130 can modify or change her order orentitlement to the product any number of times during the productpre-order window. However, in alternate embodiments, the buyer 130 canmodify or change her order only for a predefined number of times duringthe product pre-order window. In various embodiments, the predefinednumber of times the buyer can modify or change her entitlement to theproduct varies from 1 to 100 or any whole number increment therein. Atthe end of the product pre-order window the buyer's order or entitlementis locked or considered confirmed. In other words, the buyer's order orentitlement to the product changes from a pre-order or transient statusto that of a confirmed status.

In accordance with aspects of the present specification, the DE engine115 is configured to enable the digital retail store, website or app 105to display at least one product, which in various embodiments is adigital product, such as a movie, video game, television show, or otherentertainment media, any time prior to or from the product pre-orderdate. The DE engine further enables the digital retail store, website orapp 105 to accept purchase order or entitlement requests from the buyer130 only on or after the product pre-order date, track a plurality ofmodified or changed orders or entitlements (including associatedpayments, if any) of the buyer 130 to the product during the productpre-order window, restrict the buyer 130 from making furthermodifications or changes to the order or entitlement at the end of theproduct pre-order window, lock-in the buyer's final order or entitlementrequest prior to the product release date, and, from the product releasedate, communicate the buyer's final order or entitlement request to oneof the plurality of entities 145 for processing and fulfilment ordelivery.

When the buyer 130 selects and pre-orders the product (during theproduct pre-order window), a digital product entitlement ticket isgenerated by the DE engine 115 and stored in the database managementsystem associated with the digital retail store, website or app 105. Thedigital entitlement ticket comprises at least the Buyer ID, SKU of theproduct, purchase price, time stamp (date and time of purchase), paymentstatus (that is, paid or unpaid) and the quantity (where necessary). Inembodiments, the digital entitlement ticket is accorded a transientstatus during the product pre-order window. In embodiments, the DEengine 115 also assigns a unique counter to the digital entitlementticket that keeps track of the number of times the buyer 130 modifies orchanges the pre-order.

In some embodiments, the buyer 130 then initiates online payment for thepre-order, which is executed using the payment processing system 135. Onsuccessful payment, the DE engine 115 considers the digital entitlementticket executable, valid or paid (payment status is set to ‘paid’) andupdates the ticket in the database management system. In alternateembodiments, the buyer 130 may be required to pay only at the time ofactual delivery, distribution or consumption of the product(cash-on-delivery, for example). In such embodiments, the DE engine 115considers the digital entitlement ticket executable or valid evenwithout payment. In still alternate embodiments, the buyer 130 may berequired to pay online only at the end of the product pre-order windowor on the product release date. In all cases, the DE engine 115considers the digital entitlement ticket as executable or valid with orwithout payment prior to the end of the pre-order window or prior to theproduct release date where actual delivery, distribution or consumptionof the product becomes possible.

In embodiments where the buyer 130 pays for the product, such as throughan online payment, the DE engine 115 holds or stores the payment asreceived from the Buyer ID within the database management system andassociates the payment with the corresponding digital entitlementticket. During the product pre-order window, situations or offers mayarise that may prompt the buyer 130 to modify or change her pre-order.In a non-limiting example, the product may evolve (‘evolved product’)during the product pre-order window in terms of a plurality of productattributes (evolved product attributes) such as functionalities,features, discounts, offers/incentives, warranty, terms related tofuture product updates, bundling, underlying platform and/or operatingsystem versions. Bundling is a retailing practice where multipleproducts may be packaged together and sold for an overall lower price,thereby incentivizing a buyer. For example, where one video game(product) may be $19.95 and a second video game may be $19.95, thebundle of the two video games may be offered for pre-order at $36,thereby signalling to the customer that she would be getting a deal forthe two video games (saving approximately $4). In a pre-order scenario,the bundling may change. For example, the website 105 may offer forpre-order an updated version of a highly popular game for $49.95. Abuyer may purchase it. During the product pre-order window, the website105 may then decide to bundle that game with another less popular game(worth $30) and offer the bundle for $69.95. The buyer who bought thepresale of the popular game may then wish to buy the bundle instead.

Such evolved product attributes, in some embodiments, may or may notwarrant a price difference (that is, higher or lower) from the one whichthe buyer 130 previously paid. The evolved product (with the evolvedproduct attributes) may also have a modified or new SKU compared to theone that the buyer 130 pre-ordered earlier. If the buyer 130 decides tomodify her pre-order to the evolved product, the DE engine 115 cancelsthe earlier digital entitlement ticket to generate a new or differentticket corresponding to the evolved product. Similarly, association ofthe earlier payment with the earlier digital entitlement ticket is alsomodified or cancelled and the payment is now re-associated with the newticket corresponding to the evolved product (and updated within thedatabase management system).

The buyer 130 is presented with a demand for any additional payment incase the price of the evolved product (second product) is higher thanthat of the different, earlier-ordered product (first product).Similarly, the buyer's account may be automatically credited with adifferential amount in case the price of the evolved product is lowerthan that of the earlier ordered product. In embodiments where the buyer130 was not required to pay while pre-ordering, the DE engine 115 simplycancels the earlier digital entitlement ticket to generate the new ordifferent ticket corresponding to the evolved product.

It is also possible, that during the product pre-order window, the buyer130 may want to cancel her pre-order. In such a case, the DE engine 115cancels the earlier digital entitlement ticket and automatically creditsthe amount, earlier paid, to the buyer's account. In embodiments wherethe buyer 130 was not required to pay while pre-ordering, the DE engine115 simply cancels the earlier digital entitlement ticket.

It should be appreciated that, in embodiments, the product may evolve aplurality of times (in terms of various product attributes) during theproduct pre-order window and, correspondingly, the buyer 130 may cancel,modify or change her pre-order a plurality of times as well. Inalternate embodiments, however, the buyer 130 is restricted to cancel,modify or change her pre-order only a finite pre-defined number oftimes, such as the number of times that the product being sold ischanged or modified. For example, if the product comprising a SKUchanges three times, a user is provided with three opportunities, duringthe pre-order window, to modify the digital entitlement ticket withoutpenalty. In alternate embodiments, the buyer 130 is restricted tocancel, modify or change her pre-order only a finite pre-defined numberof times, after which the buyer 130 is charged a fee for effectuating achange to the digital entitlement ticket. In one embodiment, certainproducts may not be eligible for refund during pre-order. In this case,the number of times buyers can cancel, modify or change their pre-ordersis set to zero.

At the end of the product pre-order window, the DE engine 115 causes theapp or website 105 to stop accepting, from the buyer 130, any furthermodifications to her pre-order. The latest digital entitlement ticket ofthe buyer 130 is locked and the order status is changed from transientto that of confirmed. Starting from the product release date, the DEengine 115 communicates the buyer's final order or entitlement ticket toone of the plurality of entities 145 for subsequent processing andfulfilment or delivery.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a plurality of steps of a method ofimplementing e-commerce processes in accordance to an embodiment of thepresent specification. In various embodiments, the DE engine 115 of FIG.1 is configured or programmed to implement the plurality of steps of themethod of FIG. 2. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 simultaneously, at step205 a buyer 130 accesses the app, social network, or website 105 (usingher login credentials that define a unique Buyer ID on the website 105)to review a plurality of products being displayed and offered forpre-order. In some embodiments, the product is a digital product suchas, but not limited to, a movie, television show, video game or otherentertainment media or software, or a combination thereof. At step 210,the DE engine 115 determines if the date of access of the website 105(by the buyer 130) is equal to or more than a product pre-order date. Ifthe date of access of the web site 105 is less than the productpre-order date then the plurality of products are displayed only forviewing by the buyer 130, at step 215, but disabled for beingpre-ordered.

However, if the date of access of the app or website 105 by the buyer130 is after the product pre-order date but less than a predefinedperiod before the product release date, then the plurality of productsare enabled for being pre-ordered by the buyer 130. The buyer may nowchoose a product (having a plurality of product attributes, that may ormay not be displayed for choice at this time) and pre-order the product,at step 220.

FIG. 3A shows an exemplary GUI (Graphical User Interface) 305 displayedto enable the buyer 130 to pre-order a product 307 such as, for example,the ‘Call of Duty’ video game. It should be appreciated that thisgraphical user interface, and others described below, are generated bysoftware and processors in a user client device, such as a mobile phone,tablet, laptop, watch, or desktop computer, in response to data receivedfrom, and sent by, a server hosting programmatic instructions which,when executed, enable the pre-order methods described herein. It shouldfurther be appreciated that the server is configured to present thegraphical user interfaces, described herein, to over at least 50potential purchasers (client devices) concurrently and/or host at least10 transactions per second, as described herein, concurrently. In oneembodiment, the pre-ordering electronic commerce transaction system isconfigured to concurrently host at least 50 client devices, andpreferably 50 to 750,000 client devices or any increment therein, suchthat each of said at least 50 client devices are permitted toconcurrently visit one or more first graphical user interfaces or one ormore second graphical user interfaces. It may further be noted that forthe purpose of the present application, a “visit” is defined as a usersession that occurs when a client device sends a request to a serverand, as a response, the website or app content requested from the serveris displayed. The duration of a visit, or user session, starts with thefirst page view and ends with the last page view. In another embodiment,the pre-ordering electronic commerce transaction system is configured toconcurrently host at least 10 transactions per second, preferably 100transactions/per second, with a plurality of client devices.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A, the interface 305 displays thepre-order start date 310, the current date 315 on which the buyer 130access the app or website 105, the expected date of release 320 of theproduct, genre 325 and options 330 to choose or not-choose to pre-orderthe product. The buyer 130 may click a button 335 to confirm his choiceto pre-order (or not). It should be noted that the current date ofaccess 315 is after the product pre-order start date 310 but less than apredefined period before the product release date 320, as a result ofwhich the buyer 130 is enabled to pre-order the product 307. It shouldfurther be appreciated that this first interface 305 and/or allsubsequent interfaces in this ordering process may only include theoffer to purchase the media product, such as a video game, and someimagery representative of the media product itself and expressly notinclude any other requests for selecting product options, such as arequirement to identify a gaming platform, operating system, mode ofplay (single player or multi-player), gaming engine, or otherproduct-specific details. By allowing a user to pre-order a productwithout identifying otherwise essential product-specific details, thepresently disclosed methods substantially decrease consumer hesitationto pre-order gaming products.

In less preferred embodiments, an interface to enable the buyer 130 topre-order may also include a plurality of product attributes to choosefrom such as, but not limited to, functionalities, features, discounts,offers/incentives, warranty, terms related to future product updates,bundling, underlying platform and/or operating system versions.Accordingly, FIG. 3B shows another exemplary interface 350 displayed toenable the buyer 130 to pre-order the product 307 along with a set ofexample attributes 355 to choose from. The attributes 355 available tothe buyer 130 at the time of pre-order include the platform 356 such asMS Windows, OS X, N-Gage and Xbox 360; the mode 357 such assingle-player and multi-player; and the gaming engine 358 such as idTech 3 and id Tech 4. As illustrated in the interface 350, the buyer 130chooses the MS Window platform, the multi-player mode and the id Tech 3engine while pre-ordering. The buyer 130 then clicks the button 335 toconfirm his choices. The interface 350 includes the pre-order start date310, the current date 315 on which the buyer 130 access the app orwebsite 105, the expected date of release 320 of the product, genre 325and options 330 to choose or not-choose to pre-order the product.

It should be appreciated that the attributes 355 available at the timeof pre-order may or may not change or evolve during the pre-orderwindow. Similarly, the product 307 may have an associated SKU at thetime of pre-order which also may or may not change depending uponwhether the product attributes 355 evolve. Also, the interfaces 305 or350 may be provided to the buyer 130 using any mode such as, but notlimited to, email, social network, website or mobile app.

It should also be appreciated that the product attributes may differdepending upon the type and/or nature of the product being offered forpre-ordering. While the product 307 is a video game, in variousembodiments the product may be any media or software product such as,but not limited to, music, electronic book, electronic file, movies, TVprograms, and software programs or applications. For example, for moviesor TV programs the attributes may comprise options such as the format(for example, DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, HD DVD) and/or the language (forexample, English, Hindi, Japanese, Polish); for electronic books theattributes may comprise options such as the format (for example, PDF,Kindle Edition) and/or features such as text-to-speech (enabled or not);and for music the attributes may comprise options such as the format(for example, MP3, DVD Audio, Blu-ray, SACD) and/or the language (forexample, English, Russian, Chinese, Japanese).

As a result, at step 225, the DE engine 115 generates a digitalentitlement ticket that associates the Buyer ID with an SKU of thepre-ordered product and stores this information within a databasemanagement system corresponding to the digital retail system 120. If thebuyer 130 is required to pay at the time of pre-ordering, the buyer 130does so using the online payment processing system 135. Accordingly, thepayment thus made is also associated with the digital entitlement ticketand stored in the database management system.

Optionally, at step 230, the buyer 130 may initiate a request to modifyor change (including cancel) her pre-order. This may be due to the factthat the product may have evolved with a plurality of evolved productattributes or the buyer 130 may need to switch to another product or thebuyer 130 may want to cancel her pre-order for other reasons. At step235, the DE engine 115 determines if the date of the request for ordermodification lies within a product pre-order window. If the date of therequest for order modification lies within the product pre-order window,the buyer 130 is allowed to modify her previous pre-order at step 240.Accordingly, the DE engine 115 cancels the previous entitlement ticket,and generates and stores (in the database management system) a newdigital entitlement ticket that associates the Buyer ID with a new SKUof the current product being ordered. If the buyer 130 made paymentswhile pre-ordering the earlier product, the payment is re-associatedwith the new digital entitlement ticket. It should be appreciated thatin case of an order cancellation request, the buyer's payment isautomatically credited to her account. It should also be appreciatedthat the buyer 130 is allowed to modify her pre-orders any number oftimes or, alternatively, for a predefined number of times during theproduct pre-order window.

If the date of the request for order modification lies beyond theproduct pre-order window, the buyer 130 is not allowed to modify herprevious pre-order at step 245. Accordingly, the latest order and thecorresponding latest digital entitlement ticket are locked-in. At step250, at the end of the product pre-order window and/or on a productrelease date the latest digital entitlement ticket is communicated to atleast one of a plurality of back-end entities 145 for processing andsubsequent fulfilment or delivery.

At step 255, the buyer 130 is required to confirm her pre-order, andoptionally select required product features, at a predefined periodbefore the product release date. To enable this step, the buyer ispresented with a second graphical user interface or plurality ofinterfaces that explain to the buyer that she pre-ordered the productand that it is time to confirm the pre-order and, if available, alsochoose and/or confirm the plurality of product attributes that may ormay not have evolved from when the buyer pre-ordered the product.

FIGS. 3C and 3D show first and second exemplary interfaces 370, 390displayed at a time proximate the product release date to enable thebuyer 130 to confirm purchase of the product 307 along with select a setof attributes 375. The interfaces 370, 390 display the date 373 on whichthe buyer had pre-ordered, the current date 315, the confirmed date ofrelease 374, genre 325 and options 380 to confirm (or reject) thepre-order. In less preferred embodiments, the attributes 375 are thesame as the attributes 355 that were presented to the buyer 130 whilepre-ordering.

However, in preferred embodiments, the attributes 375 are different orevolved compared to the originally available attributes or originallydisplayed attributes. In the present embodiment, for example, theattributes 375 being displayed include an option to choose an additionalplatform 376, namely, PlayStation 3. Also, a choice within the gamingengine 377 has evolved from id Tech 4 in attributes 355 to id Tech 6 inattributes 375, while the options within the mode 377 remain same asattributes 355. In accordance with an embodiment, the interface 370displays the attributes 375 without any of the choices pre-filled orpre-selected. However, in an alternate embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3D,the alternate interface 390 displays the attributes 375 with the buyer'schoices pre-filled or pre-selected. The buyer's choices are pre-filledor pre-selected based on her choices from the interface 350 of FIG. 3B.In various embodiments, the buyers choices are pre-filled orpre-selected based on the buyer's profile, historical purchase logs, orindicated interests from the interface 350. After choosing the attributeoptions, the buyer 130 can click on a button 385 to confirm the order.

Finally, at step 260, the DE engine 115 cancels any previous entitlementticket, and generates and stores (in the database management system) anew digital entitlement ticket that associates the Buyer ID with a newSKU of the product being ordered with the evolved attributes 375. If thebuyer 130 made payments while pre-ordering the product, the payment isre-associated with the new digital entitlement ticket. The latestdigital entitlement ticket is communicated to at least one of aplurality of back-end entities 145 for processing and subsequentfulfilment or delivery.

The systems and methods implemented with reference to the e-commercescenario 100 of FIG. 1 offer a plurality of advantages such as, but notlimited to:

1. Neither requiring a level of product inventory to be stored with theFulfilment Entities 145, prior to offering the product for sale, norrestricting buyer orders to the existing product inventory. The digitalentitlement engine does not restrict the creation of tickets based onthe amount of actual inventory of the product being pre-ordered.Conventional e-commerce scenarios require product inventory to bepresent with the Fulfilment Entities 145 prior to offering the productfor sale since in conventional e-commerce scenarios buyers' purchaseorders are communicated to the Fulfilment Entities 145, in real time ornear real-time (such as during batch order processing), for processingand subsequent fulfilment or delivery. Accordingly, the buyer orders arealso restricted to the amount of inventory. However, in the e-commercescenario of the present specification, the product is offered forpre-ordering from the product pre-order date which is substantially inadvance of the product release date, such as anywhere from one week toone year. Depending upon the number of pre-orders received (that is,product demand) during the product pre-order window, the requiredinventory or units of product can be better assessed and graduallymodified in the period running up to the product release date (since thepre-orders are communicated to the entities 145 only at the end of the‘product pre-order window’).

2. Providing the opportunity to the product manufacturer and/or retailerto evolve the product in terms of the plurality of product attributesand assess incremental evolved product demand and price discovery duringthe product pre-order window. Complementarily, the buyers are alsoallowed an opportunity to gravitate towards improved or evolved productwith evolved product attributes at, for example, perceived VFM(Value-For-Money) pricing.

3. Freeing buyers from conventional cumbersome product cancellation,return, and exchange processes (also involving corresponding paymentcredits and debits) in scenarios where the buyers have not yet receiveddelivery of the ordered product. It should be appreciated that theproblems related to product cancellation, return and exchange processesare further exacerbated where a company representing a front-end digitalretail system is not vertically integrated with back-end fulfilmententities. In the e-commerce scenario of the present specification, theproduct cancellation, return and exchange processes are seamless to thebuyers during the entire product pre-order window.

4. Enabling a plurality of offers or incentives to be targeted andtailored to specific Buyer IDs and pushed to the buyers during theproduct pre-order window. The plurality of offers or incentives may bestructured around the plurality of product attributes such as, but notlimited to, functionalities, features, discounts, warranty, termsrelated to future product updates, bundling, underlying platform and/oroperating system versions. In some embodiments, a buyer's pre-orderprofile information may be used to tailor the offers or incentives andencourage the buyer to purchase an evolved product offering. Forexample, a buyer's pre-order profile may include her preference for acertain operating platform for a video game (product) she pre-ordersduring the product pre-order window. In fact, in some embodiments, aspecific operating platform for the video game may not be locked on theapp or website 105 during the product pre-order window. Instead, aplurality of operating platform options may be disclosed and the buyermay be required to select at least one of such options that she prefers(the buyer can modify her operating platform option during the productpre-order window). Depending upon which one or more of the platformoptions garner the highest number of buyer preferences, the digitalretail system 102 may decide to only release the top one or morepreferred options, attune the number of products released based on theoverall platform option profile of a universe of pre-orders and/or offerincentives related to certain preferred platform option(s) only so thatmost buyers gravitate towards the preferred option(s) during the productpre-order window.

The above examples are merely illustrative of the many applications ofthe system of present invention. Although only a few embodiments of thepresent invention have been described herein, it should be understoodthat the present invention might be embodied in many other specificforms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.Therefore, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive, and the invention may be modifiedwithin the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A pre-ordering electronic commerce transaction systemcomprising at least one server having at least one processor and aplurality of programmatic instructions stored in a non-transient memorywherein, when said plurality of programmatic instructions are executedby the at least one processor, said programmatic instructions: generatedata representative of one or more first graphical user interfaces,wherein said one or more first graphical user interfaces comprise anoption to purchase a media product and do not include a requirement toselect additional media product attributes; concurrently transmit saiddata to a first plurality of client devices such that each of said firstplurality client devices receives data representative of said one ormore first graphical user interfaces and generates said one or morefirst graphical user interfaces; receive data representative of users'selection to purchase said media product; store data representative ofusers' selection to purchase said media product in a non-transientmemory; within a predefined period of time before a release date forsaid media product, generate data representative of one or more secondgraphical user interfaces based on said data representative of a user'sselection to purchase said media product, wherein said one or moresecond graphical user interfaces comprise a request to select saidadditional media product attributes; concurrently transmit said data toa second plurality of client devices such that each of said secondplurality of client devices receives data representative of said one ormore second graphical user interfaces and generates said one or moresecond graphical user interfaces; receive data representative of users'selection of said additional media product attributes; and store datarepresentative of users' selection to said additional media productattributes in a non-transient memory.
 2. The electronic commercetransaction system of claim 1 wherein said media product is a video gameand wherein said additional media product attributes comprise at leastone of a gaming platform and a player mode.
 3. The electronic commercetransaction system of claim 1 wherein said media product is a movie andwherein said additional media product attributes comprise a format ofthe movie.
 4. The electronic commerce transaction system of claim 1wherein said second graphical user interface further comprises a requestto confirm a user's prior selection to purchase the media product. 5.The electronic commerce transaction system of claim 1 wherein saidpredefined period of time before the release date for said media productis up to twelve months.
 6. The electronic commerce transaction system ofclaim 1 further comprising programmatic instructions to, prior to saidpredefined period of time, generate data representative of one or morepayment transaction graphical user interfaces, wherein said one or morepayment transaction graphical user interfaces comprise a request toprovide financial payment data.
 7. The electronic commerce transactionsystem of claim 1 wherein said concurrent transmission of said datarepresentative of said one or more first graphical user interfaces isprogrammed to occur more than one day before said predefined period oftime.
 8. The electronic commerce transaction system of claim 1 whereinsaid concurrent transmission of said data representative of said one ormore first graphical user interfaces is programmed to occur more thanone week before said predefined period of time.
 9. The electroniccommerce transaction system of claim 1 further comprising programmaticinstructions to, prior to said predefined period of time, receive datarepresentative of users' modified selection to purchase said mediaproduct and store data representative of users' modified selection topurchase said media product in a non-transient memory.
 10. Theelectronic commerce transaction system of claim 1 wherein the one ormore first graphical user interfaces consist of one or more images ofthe media product, an option to purchase said media product, and paymenttransaction graphical user interfaces comprising a request to providefinancial payment data.
 11. The electronic commerce transaction systemof claim 1 wherein the media product is a video game and wherein the oneor more first graphical user interfaces comprise one or more images ofthe video game and an option to purchase said video game and do notcomprise a requirement to select a gaming platform for said video game.12. The electronic commerce transaction system of claim 11 wherein theone or more second graphical user interfaces comprise said requirementto select the gaming platform for said video game, wherein said one ormore second graphical user interfaces are transmitted only after asecond period of time after the one or more first graphical userinterfaces are transmitted, and wherein said second period of time is atleast three days.
 13. A method of pre-ordering a media product using anelectronic commerce transaction system comprising at least one serverhaving at least one processor and a plurality of programmaticinstructions stored in a non-transient memory, said method comprising:generating data representative of one or more first graphical userinterfaces, wherein said one or more first graphical user interfacescomprise an option to purchase a media product and do not include arequirement to select additional media product attributes; concurrentlytransmitting said data to a first plurality of client devices such thateach of said first plurality client devices receives data representativeof said one or more first graphical user interfaces and generates saidone or more first graphical user interfaces; receiving datarepresentative of users' selection to purchase said media product;storing data representative of users' selection to purchase said mediaproduct in a non-transient memory; within a predefined period of timebefore a release date for said media product, generating datarepresentative of one or more second graphical user interfaces based onsaid data representative of a user's selection to purchase said mediaproduct, wherein said one or more second graphical user interfacescomprise a request to select said additional media product attributes;concurrently transmitting said data to a second plurality of clientdevices such that each of said second plurality of client devicesreceives data representative of said one or more second graphical userinterfaces and generates said one or more second graphical userinterfaces; receiving data representative of users' selection of saidadditional media product attributes; and storing data representative ofusers' selection to said additional media product attributes in anon-transient memory.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said mediaproduct is a video game and wherein said additional media productattributes comprise at least one of a gaming platform and a player mode.15. The method of claim 13 wherein said media product is a movie andwherein said additional media product attributes comprise a format ofthe movie.
 16. The method of claim 13 wherein said second graphical userinterface further comprises a request to confirm a user's priorselection to purchase the media product.
 17. The method of claim 13wherein said predefined period of time before the release date for saidmedia product is up to twelve months.
 18. The method of claim 13 furthercomprising, prior to said predefined period of time, generating datarepresentative of one or more payment transaction graphical userinterfaces, wherein said one or more payment transaction graphical userinterfaces comprise a request to provide financial payment data.
 19. Themethod of 13 wherein said concurrent transmission of said datarepresentative of said one or more first graphical user interfaces isprogrammed to occur more than one day before said predefined period oftime.
 20. The method of claim 13 wherein the media product is a videogame and wherein the one or more first graphical user interfacescomprise one or more images of the video game and an option to purchasesaid video game and do not comprise a requirement to select a gamingplatform for said video game.